


Lumiere

by Lyncias



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, everyone is happy in this one and no one dies, implied Ritsu/Mao, normal people au, weird ass thing I wrote at 3am
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-17
Updated: 2017-08-17
Packaged: 2018-12-16 10:52:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11827221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lyncias/pseuds/Lyncias
Summary: Lumiere, darling, lumiere over me.Inspired by Ed Sheeran's Tenerife Sea





	Lumiere

**Author's Note:**

> It's inspired by a song but the song didn't actually make an appearance in the story. It really just inspired by the story behind the song, which was basically two lovers at a party and neither was having fun.
> 
> I wrote this at 3 am (made myself cry even though it has a happy ending) and it's the first time I wrote Trickstar, so please bare with me!
> 
> Thank you for clicking and I hope you enjoy!

Hokuto had never been fond of parties. He tried to avoid them as much as possible, but sometimes it was inevitable. Like right now. The countdown to the new year had decreased to an hour and a half. Outside, the streets were flooded with celebratory crowds. Hokuto imagined the cold air and the snowflakes and shuddered. On the TV screen, the singer in a tight, silver skirt danced on the stage, and thousands of men, women, and children gathered there, excitedly waving their plastic toys and banners with the number of the new year painted on it as the camera went back. The TV hosts stomped their feet on the ground as they reported, their hands in their pockets. Hokuto wondered whether the people there were really happy.

He definitely wasn't.

He hardly knew anyone at the party. In his little group of four, he had always been the quiet one. Staying behind when Subaru and Makoto went out to bars, standing by the wall or sitting on the couch holding a cup of beer in situations like this. He wished he was home, only a few buildings away. He would sit at his table and pour himself a cup of cheap champagne. He would watch the celebration on TV, then after the countdown was over and the glittering ball fell to the bottom of the pole, he would finish his champagne and go to bed.

He rubbed his temple and swept his eyes across the room. He tried to find his friends, but none of them were there. Makoto was probably in the kitchen, while Mao was probably with Ritsu. Subaru was nowhere to be found, where he stood only a few minutes ago was empty, devoid of any human lives. He must have been there only moments before, else another person would have already took the space. A woman dropped down next to Hokuto on the couch, half drunk. In one hand she was holding a cup of beer, and had her other arm around a girl with long, auburn hair, who was also half drunk. They were kissing each other passionately, as if they were lovers, even though Hokuto was certain he had spotted them introducing themselves to each other only a few hours ago. Hokuto moved farther away from them.

Makoto came over when there was still an hour to the new year. He was holding a cup, but Hokuto knew there was no alcoholic drinks in it. Makoto gets drunk way too easily, and when he was drunk he becomes clingy and give away too much about himself. He had learned his lesson in college, so now he tries he best to not drink too much unless he was in good company, which meant Hokuto, Subaru, and Mao.

"Heya," he said, plopping himself down between Hokuto and the lovers. The two of them watched the girls stumbled up and towards one of the door on the other end of the apartment.

"Enjoying yourself?" Hokuto asked.

Makoto shrugged. He took a sip of his drink and said, "they have really good lemonade here."

"That's what you're drinking?" Hokuto leaned over and peered into the cup.

"Yea. Really good. Wanna try some?"

"No thanks."

"Well," Makoto shrugged again, "more for me, I guess."

The artist preforming the stage changed. It was the one the preformed the most popular song of the year, a song Hokuto had found himself sick of listening to. It was on the radio of every store, restaurant, and office he went to. The others at the party, however, thought otherwise. Someone came over and grabbed Makoto, who smiled apologetically at Hokuto as he disappeared into a throng of dancing bodies.

Hokuto remembered only then he should have asked Makoto where Subaru was. He wanted to go home, clearly. No matter what happened at the party, he was the only constant, sitting on the only couch in the apartment by himself. But he came here with Subaru, who had made him promise that he would stay until at least midnight.

Hokuto thought about finding Mao or Makoto, but if he stands up right now he would probably get swept up by the people dancing in the middle of the apartment. Plus, if he was going to get up and try to find Mao or Makoto, he might as well just try to find Subaru.

He yawned. The song had ended, and the camera ran over the excited crowd again. The same, excited crowd. Hokuto wondered if they really were excited. It was so cold outside, their faces must be frozen. How could they laugh like that? Or do the bodies, all compacted into the same small area, provide heat for each other?

Another couple, a girl with bright red hair and a guy with a clear blue eyes, stumbled to the couch. Hokuto leaned against the arm of the couch.

Mao came over and sat down next to Hokuto. He sat closer to Hokuto than he would have, trying to put some space between him and the new pair of lovebirds. "How's it going?" he asked. Hokuto shrugged.

"Tired," he said.

Mao grinned and took a sip from his cup. It was a clear, glass cup. Hokuto could see its content through its faceted surface. "What some?" he asked.

"What is it?"

"Something with gin, I think," Mao said. "I don't know. It was Ritsu's." He took a sip of the dark red drink. Hokuto couldn't actually smell it, but he knew it from memory. He had seen like laying around in their apartment plenty of times. He had once took a sip of the drink, which was in a mug of a design similar to his. He grimaced at the memory.

"Have you seen Subaru?" Hokuto asked. He felt the heat clouding his mind.

"No," Mao said, "but I'm pretty sure I know where he is. What me to grab him for you?"

"No, it's alright. I just want to go up to the roof for a bit. It's too hot in here."

"I'll tell him you're up there," Mao promised. Someone shouted his name across the room, and Mao sighed and pushed himself off of the couch. "Don't forget your coat," he added before disappearing.

Hokuto stood and began making his way to the door. He was careful not to be stopped by any of the partygoers. He knew very well if he stops there was no way he could make his way out.

He found his coat under a pile of other coats and jackets on the floor by the door. It was thrown there to free up with chair the clothes were initially on. Hokuto dusted the dark coat off before pulling open the door. A gust of cold wind hit him. Someone standing by the door complained loudly and yelled at him to get out and shut the door. Hokuto stepped outside, and saw the windows in the hallway were all open. The wind snatched the door out of his fingers and slammed it shut.

Hokuto made his way up to the rooftop slowly. The door that led to the roof, which was normally locked, was open.

The roof was freezing, and the wind was even worse at the altitude. Hokuto wrapped the coat around himself tighter, and wished he had brought his gloves. In front of and under him, the city was a spectacular painting of buildings and fireworks. In the distance, the skyscrapers danced wearing clothes of a hundred different hues. The coldness cleared away the fog that lingered over Hokuto's mind.

On the street below, a group of people walked by, laughing. Their voices drifted all the way up like embers, scattered by the wind. A car honked in the distance, a plane flew overhead. Hokuto couldn't see the square from the roof, but he thought he could hear it. Everyone in the city could hear the square on the New Year's Eve.

With soft steps that was almost muffled by the sounds of the city, Subaru came to stand next to him. "Heya," he said softly.

"Hey," Hokuto said. "I couldn't stay in there. Sorry."

"It's alright," Subaru said with a shrug. His orange hair was damp, and the wind beat at his coat. Hokuto could see a thin layer of sweat on his head.

"You should go back inside," Hokuto said, "it's too windy. You may catch a cold."

Subaru shrugged.

"Did Mao tell you I was up here?"

"No," Subaru shook his head. "Haven't seen him since we arrived. I came up here because I need to get away for a bit," he said. Hokuto looked at him. Usually, it was just him distancing himself from the party.

"I thought you were enjoying it," Hokuto mumbled.

"I'm a good actor."

The two were silent. Hokuto stared at a distant skyscraper, dressed in a dress the color of the moon. Across the street, almost every window was still ablaze. The sky was a purple haze. The city never slept, but that particular night it was wide awake. Subaru glanced down at his phone. "Five more minutes," he said, "until we step into a new era."

The songs and the laughter were louder now, clearer. Hokuto didn't know whether it was because more people had gathered in the streets or because the wind had subdued slightly. They may not be at the square, where the world was watching, but in this city every street was the center of its own world, and every person the center of that street.

Hokuto glanced at Subaru. The colors of the city reflected in his blue eyes, and the light of the night made his face more defined before, bringing out the features that were hard to notice in plain daylight. Behind Subaru, the world was a blur of shadows and lights. He was smiling a smile of pure joy. Once upon a time it was the only smile anyone knew how to smile, but the longer they lived in the city, the less common the smile became. Hokuto remembered the first time he met Subaru. It was the smile that strengthened his determination to befriend him.

Subaru moved closer to Hokuto, closer enough for their elbows to be touching. Perhaps it was the coldness, or perhaps it was the festive atmosphere that drove him to do such a thing he would not have the courage to do at another place or time. Wind blew at Hokuto's soft hair. Subaru imagined it would smell like winter with a hint of rose. His face was illuminated by the city. The way the light brings out Hokuto's features reminded Subaru, somehow, of the first play where Hokuto got the lead role. The light of that stage hit his face the same way the city's light did.

As they stood there, on top of the world, the only thing that mattered was each other.

Somewhere below, people began counting down the last few seconds of the old year.

_Twenty._

Subaru and Hokuto's gaze touched.

_Nineteen._

Subaru wanted to grab Hokuto's hand.

_Eighteen._

Hokuto wanted to grab Subaru's hand.

_Seventeen._

They both reached out at the same time.

_Sixteen._

Their fingertips brushed, and both jumped. Neither expected the other to be thinking of the same thought.

_Fifteen._

"Sorry," Hokuto and Subaru mumbled at the same time. It was almost swallowed by the city.

_Fourteen._

Their hands linked.

_Thirteen._

Hokuto thought about how the colors of the city made Subaru's eyes shone bright.

_Twelve._

Subaru thought that Hokuto's eyes were more beautiful than the most shiny penny he owned.

_Eleven._

Both of them thought maybe they should return to the party, where their friends were. There was enough time if they sprint.

_Ten._

Both decided against the idea. There was no need to return. No one would notice their absence, anyway.

_Nine._

Subaru grinned at Hokuto to hide his own fluttering heart. He was so sure that if he tried to say something right now, nothing would come out. His throat was too tight to make even a whimper. He was glad his blushes were almost invisible under the night. 

_Eight._

Hokuto stared at Subaru's smile, praying that his own cheeks would not betray the wild rhythm of his heart. He was so sure that if he touches his face right now, his fingers would jerk away from the heat. He was so glad that the light of the city hid the color of his face well.

_Seven._

They each took a step closer. Hokuto could see Subaru's eyelashes, and Subaru could feel Hokuto's warm breathes on his skin.

_Six._

The sudden sound of a soda can hitting the ground startled both of them. They jumped back, eyes searching for the invisible whoever, or whatever, that was there with them on the roof.

_Five._

They realized it was only the wind's trick. They looked at each other, and laughed. Hokuto hadn't laughed like that since he was a child. The laughter came from somewhere deep within him, gurgling to the top like bubbles, tickling at his lung.

_Four._

Subaru had never seen Hokuto laugh like that. Subaru had never seen anything more beautiful or heard anything more wondrous.

_Three._

They looked at each, red faced, eyes glittering, still panting with laughter.

_Two._

They took a step forward and closed the distance between them. Two careful steps from two fearful men. Two careful steps into a new era.

_One._

They leaned in, hesitant, as if either one make a single wrong move, the entire night would dissolve, and the moment would be gone, shattered. They hovered around each other's lips, too afraid to make contact.

_Zero!_

Fireworks exploded behind them as their lips touched. Below and around them, people cheered the death of an old year and welcomed its brethren. Beer glasses were clinked and well wishes were whispered into loved ones' ears. A few moments later, a million voices joined the city in a song that filled the night air with brilliant illuminations.

For the two men on a rooftop, holding each other as if they would drift apart into the night the moment they let go, it was as if the world cheered for them.


End file.
